The following is a collection of short interviews of teachers at Seattle Academy. All were asked the same three questions “Where did you go to college?” “Why did you choose that school?” and “In hindsight, were you happy with your choice?”

At the annual Club Fair in September, there seemed to be a surge of new clubs. Old standbys like Tea Club, QSA, and the Interesting, Well-Rounded Individuals Club all had tables. But among the old and the new, Madison Dillard stood at her table to showcase the Marginalized Media Club. Her poster had cut-outs of stills from television shows like Jane the Virgin and Speechless, and phrases like ‘diversity is reality.’

After noticing oppressive patterns while watching TV and movies, Dillard realized that “there is a lot of information I’ve accumulated about [marginalized groups] but…I don’t have [a place] to share it and talk about it with anyone. So I thought making a club would be a good idea.”

Drawn to performing since elementary school, Dillard has graced Seattle Academy’s stage in shows such as Hotel Paradiso, The Addams Family, and Once in a Lifetime. She plans to pursue acting in college and beyond, and in the grand scheme of theatre and film wants to “see less white cis[gender] men writing things.”

On a smaller scale, she has noticed that Seattle Academy produces plays that are “centered on men. Which just reflects how most of the plays made are about men.” Dillard believes that focusing on the bigger picture outside of SAAS would benefit everyone, including the SAAS Arts department.

She brought up the idea of “creating a program that allows others to voice different stories” as a way to engage the SAAS community in sparking change. Attend Marginalized Media Club to discuss underrepresented groups in media.

You can see Madison Dillard in The Wedding Singer this November. Marginalized Media Club meets Tuesdays at lunch in V5.